HUNTINGTON BEACH – Sure, it would have been sweet for top-seeded Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb if they could have won the title Sunday at the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball National Championships in Surf City. It was, after all, their last event together as Redondo Beach’s Rosenthal accepted Phil Dalhausser’s invitation to partner with him next year.

Fourth-seeded Sean Scott and John Hyden had other ideas. The hard-playing duo came in having won three of the previous five tour events this year. They also won the Milwaukee Shootout, but that was a smaller invitational event that did not count toward series points, standings, etc.

Well, Scott and Hyden might have saved their best for the last tour event of the year, dominating and sweeping Rosenthal and Gibb 2-0 before about 4,500 near the Huntington Beach Pier. Scores weren’t even close at 21-15, 21-12.

On the women’s side, top-seeded Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik entered having won all five regular events on the tour. They made it 6 for 6 by sweeping fourth-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Rachel Scott 2-0. Scores were 21-14, 21-18. Scott is the wife of Sean Scott.

Not even “Rosie’s Raiders,” a group of about 60 Rosenthal followers who cheer wildly for their hero, and hiss mightily at his opponents, could help Rosenthal and Gibb, who played in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics but did not medal.

That’s how good Scott and Hyden were in every way.

“I feel privileged every time I can step on the court against those guys,” said Scott, 39, of Redondo Beach. “It’s a great team. Two-time Olympians, (FIVB) world champions this year, a ton of victories. And they come out and battle.

“And then you also have the ‘Raiders’ giving you heat from the sidelines, so you gotta bring your game. Or you’re going to get beat. Especially since it’s their last match, it’s kind of nice to compete against them in that atmosphere.”

Hyden, of Sherman Oaks, said there was a plan of attack that was well-followed, but he joked that he didn’t want to divulge too much.

“Well, I can’t tell you that, I mean, we’re going to have to use it again,” Hyden, 39, said, laughing. “But usually we come out ripping our serves and I decided, ‘Hey, I’m going to try this,’ and Sean was going to hit his serves, too, and that way I keep mine in a lot more. It worked out.

“Sean was able to get a bead on blocking lines and get his feet under him. He came up big today, got a lot of blocks and that helped me defensively.

“Rosie’s Raiders” went over to the players’ box housing Rosenthal and Gibb after their defeat and chanted, “We’re No. 1.” On Sunday, they were No. 2. But they handled everything well.

“Well, the tournament was great, the finals not so much,” Rosenthal, 32, said. “It was nice to finish up here and play well and put ourselves in position to win a tournament. We ran into Sean and John when they were playing one of their best games.”

As for departing after seven years with Gibb, Rosenthal said the two remain friends, but that accepting Dalhausser’s invitation was a business decision based on his best bet at getting back to the Olympics in 2016. Dalhausser had been partners with Todd Rogers, with whom he toiled twice in the Olympics, winning gold in 2008.

“We had a good run,” said Rosenthal, 32, of playing with Gibb. “I have so many good memories playing with Jake and they’ll never be forgotten.”

Gibb, 36, of Costa Mesa, said he has yet to select a new partner, but is working on it.

“It was really fun to ride out,” he said of his time with Rosenthal. “Seven years is a long time.”

Kropp and Pavlik played brilliantly. If Kropp wasn’t powering down a hard kill, Pavlik was serving up aces or coming up with an incredible dig.

In the final set, Pavlik set Kropp beautifully for a kill for a 20-18 lead. Kropp then came through with a block for the match-winner.

Kropp and Pavlik hugged as the crowd cheered loudly. Afterward, Kropp admitted she could not have imagined in her wildest dreams sweeping all six regular events.

“Absolutely not,” said Kropp, of the Hollyglen section of Hawthorne. … “I think you always set goals and it was one of our goals to win the series, but sometimes you set lofty goals and you don’t always think you’re going to achieve them, but you might as well set high goals and go for them.

“That’s kind of what we did and we couldn’t be happier right now.”

Pavlik was excited about being able to cap the tour sweep close to home.

“Finishing it off here in Huntington Beach, you know, I grew up in Laguna Beach, so I had so many of my friends and family here,” she said. “And I had family and friends that traveled here from different states to be here to watch, so it was great doing it in front of them and they all got to be a part of it with me.”

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